Creating healthy habits for self-improvement.
Many of us like to work on ourselves in some form of self-improvement, which usually entails improving our habits so that our life is more effective and functionals to the best of our ability. Habits develop from an exceedingly early age. From the moment we are born we are impressed upon from outside of ourselves to behave in certain, acceptable ways. That is generally what occurs, we develop unconscious habits which become ingrained into our expression.
This is the exact opposite to living mindfully and being aware in each moment what our energy is doing. Are you interested in living your life consciously, mindfully? If so, this may resonate with you and a few others who read this post. We are at the mercy of all our past programming and patterning, when choosing to break old habits and create new, beneficial ones, that will take us to where we want to go. Rather like pushing against the tide or walking uphill.
I recently wrote regarding affirmations, which is do them daily for 28 days, or a full lunar cycle. It takes a month for new habits to become ingrained into our positive daily rituals. I believe that habits are easily formed and difficult to break, when they become automatic, mindless, unconscious ones.
Consider this, you try to give up a ‘bad habit’ such as smoking or eating chocolate. You succeed and then one day, feel like just one, it will not hurt me. Then daily you look for it, more likely at a time when you feel a little stressed and want something to make yourself feel better. It is called comfort eating.
This is how easily an unwanted habit can become an unconscious, automatic habit, which is not conducive to living the life you were meant to lead. In one moment of self-sabotage, we undo all the good work and consistent effort we have put into establishing a good habit or routine.
What if we choose to implement a new, so called, ‘good habit’ into our life? It can be easier than you might think and admittedly, we may need some outside support or encouragement to get it going. BUT do not underestimate your value and adaptability, your willingness and wanting to succeed. Your courage to persist.
I share a favourite motto with many of you, who like Winston Churchill, held the firm belief to ‘Never, ever give up ‘. Success is not how many times you have fallen over, but how many times you have picked yourself up and kept on going, trying, persisting. There are many successful people who failed at first. Such as Henry Ford, F.W. Woolworth, Akio Morita (Sony’s founder), Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Charles Darwin, Socrates – to name just a few.
Do you have utmost faith in yourself to achieve something that has eluded you thus far? Most of us are particularly good at self-sabotage patterns. We then carry regrets that we gave up too soon, rather than persisting. This leads to adverse feelings of self-worth, which diminishes. Also we lose faith in yourself, which once this happens, is less likely to return. How sad indeed.
What does this bring up for you in this very moment? Perhaps there is recognition of failing over and over when attempting to improve yourself and niggley negative feelings that persist.
It does not matter how much we go through life, failing in whatever it is that we are attempting to do. What matters is our ability to continue or whether we give up on ourselves, even life.
It may be helpful to look at the examples of others who have ultimately succeeded. You will have your own ones, those people you admire for living their lives authentically, who followed their dream, no matter the odds.
Humans tend to be naturally lazy and want things to be easy, even cushy. There is no gain without pain and the path of most resistance is the one to take. Think about it. The times of greatest growth and accomplishment in your life are most likely the most difficult ones, which took consistent effort, a strong will and determination. Also, a belief in yourself and that somehow, no matter what others may say to convince you to the contrary, there is an innate reason you want to do it. Perhaps an inner knowing.
I love this beautiful quote. “But what if I never get there?” asked the fox. “A small step is still a step” replied the Moon. “Just do what you can today and be proud of yourself”.
My view about establishing new habits is a little different to the norm. In my personal experience, it is about allowing yourself to feel instead of supressing feelings. Meditation, journaling and using the energetic hygiene practices work together. I share about these in our Thursday night class, as methods which help clear unconscious reasons, which is why we fail in the first place.
I feel you may recognise what I mean, we can have some confusion and lack of clarity. One part of us wants strongly to go in one direction but other parts of us are not on board with the inspiration. A perfect example is those who make New Year’s Resolutions, with every good intent to be a better person, for whatever reason. They don’t usually last very long before we fall off the wagon and go back to what we have been doing for ages.
Judgment!
I feel to explain that judgment keeps us stuck, going on a treadmill or a mouse wheel, repeating without getting anywhere. Have you heard of the expression about Being and not Doing? Our doing needs to come out of our being, that is to be heart connected, centred, grounded into the earth and from that lovely still space, how we live our lives is in a beautiful flow, from our heart centre. We flow and trust our intuition, our inspirations.
As we judge anything, it gives it energy and we are rooted in habits which we wish to change and each time we fail, we project that energy in towards ourself. Our subconscious mind accepts it as a truth too, something we want more of. This is why we can learn to work with our inner coach, rather than our inner critic. To be gentle with ourselves, as a being of nature which needs nourishment, as much as any other thing of nature.
The best results are when we are working together with all our inner team on board, clearing the conflicts within us as we become aware of them. This gives us real progress and lasting achievements, leading to more and more successes and new discoveries.
You can reach greater heights. Trust me. Keep aiming high to reach your highest, brightest, potential and keep on keeping on!!!
Cheerio for now. Until next time, love, and laughter blessings. I look forward to hearing how you go with these ponderings.
Lots of Love and Laughter, Lynette Mitchell.
Phone: 0425 799 258 – Email: lynette@laughterforliving.com.au
Disclaimer: Information shared here is from my personal understanding and experience. Advice given is general and as I am not a medical doctor, take no responsibility for how it is received, my intention is that articles will be supportive and assist in living a fuller, holistic life.